Romantic suspense author Victor (Consequences) puts a fresh spin on a well-worn story line in her first foray into the realm of contemporary women's fiction. After surviving a violent holdup in a clothing boutique, three strangers—Kip Hallman, Nora Levin and Eloise Bentley—become the best of friends and vow to change their lives for the better. Kip, the perfect PTA mom and housewife, decides to return to figure skating after a 20-year absence; Nora, a talented music producer who's hopeless at relationships, intends to track down the one man she regrets having pushed away; and magazine editor Eloise is determined to lose 60 pounds. Their journey toward self-fulfillment is long and arduous but punctuated by instances of honesty and emotional insight—such as when Eloise realizes that she has to break away from her overbearing family and take control of her life before she can control her weight. Victor draws her characters with a sure hand, but the narrative loses its focus at times, lingering for too long on insignificant characters and details. Thankfully, these digressions are infrequent. At times funny and at other times thoughtful and poignant, this inspirational story is the perfect elixir for any middle-aged woman who has ever battled with weight gain, a particularly difficult relationship or suffered an identity crisis. (Apr. 2)